The Singapore Airlines connection is already worth hundreds of millions of dollars locally and nationally, and the increase in daily services will pour even more revenue into the South Island economy.

“This is very good news because the increase in flights means more than 1,995 tourists have direct access to the South Island every week,” says Christchurch Airport CEO, Jim Boult. “This is significant and exciting for Christchurch, the gateway to the South Island.”

The flight into Christchurch Airport presents an unforgettable first impression for visitors. Says Mr. Boult, “the flights into Christchurch delight the airline’s travellers. We know most international travellers book a trip to New Zealand expecting to see stunning scenery, so flying into Christchurch over the Southern Alps and Canterbury Plains immediately meets that expectation.”

General Manager of Singapore Airlines New Zealand, James Lim, says when Singapore Airlines started flying between Christchurch and Singapore in 1986, the airline was proud to be the first international carrier to offer services out of Christchurch.

“Since then, we have brought more than a million passengers to the beautiful South Island and carried a similar number of people from Christchurch to Singapore and beyond,” says Mr. Lim. “We are extremely proud of our long association with Christchurch.

With even more scheduled flights now on offer between Singapore and Christchurch, the association between Singapore Airlines and Christchurch Airport looks set to remain mutually beneficial for many years to come.

Effective from early January 2012, Mr Nathan’s appointment will mark a shift in focus of Destination Rotorua Marketing from “business planning and change, with some well publicised recent challenges, to one of business plan implementation and getting things done,” says Rotorua District Council Economic & Regulatory Services Group Manager Mark Rawson.

Mr Nathan has spent the intervening years working in the private sector with numerous roles including a business advisor position with Poutama Trust. He is currently deputy chair of NZ Tourism Industry Association, board member of Te Puia and NZ Hospitality Standards Institute, council member of Waiariki Institute of Technology, chair of Maori in Tourism Rotorua, and is involved with The University of Waikato.

“I’m now 39 and have been extremely fortunate to get out into the private sector, learn from and work with a great array of people and organisations from New Zealand and abroad,” says Mr Nathan. “That allows me to bring a range of new skills, experience and perspectives that I am extremely excited about applying in this newly revised role.”

Mr Nathan will retain some of his current positions where they will compliment his role as General Manager of Destination Rotorua Marketing, though he will step down from others – such as his chairmanship of Maori in Tourism Rotorua and directorship of Te Puia – as part of his commitment to the new role.

“As a team our responsibility is to not only entice visitors to stay longer, explore and spend more but we also need to connect with those that seek a longer term engagement investing and doing business here in Rotorua,” says Mr Nathan.

An overnight stay gives a more in-depth view of Maori culture – and it’s a fascinating experience. Guests make up their own beds – as is the tradition – and learn a waiata (song) before the evening cultural performance and hangi (feast). Single-sex (though communal) bathrooms, heating and free tea, coffee and hot chocolate provide more modern touches than is historically correct, however!

The cultural performance part of the Tamaki Maori Village programme has been extended and now includes more time for storytelling plus a short movie which provides some historical context to the setting. For this reason, the programme starts at the earlier time of 6:15pm from 1 October 2011 (previously 6:30pm). In the morning, overnight guests have the option to stay on until midday and learn about traditional weaving, carving and weaponry arts, or perhaps have an interactive haka or poi lesson.

Besides providing for the FIT sector, there are many options for special groups in this cultural gem. Newly available is a private cocktail or dining room for up to 40 guests to experience the Tamaki Maori Village cultural ambience plus a traditional hangi or an indigenously inspired dinner. Contact Tamaki Maori Village to learn more about options for your clients.

In Maori culture, manaakitanga is a traditional value that is considered to be hugely important. The art of hosting visitors, being generous and caring about the treatment of others translates naturally to tourism and ensures that international visitors are made to feel welcome in New Zealand, no matter who they are or where they are from.

As with many Maori words, manaakitanga is a term that contains many layers of meaning. At its heart, the term refers to the need for reciprocal hospitality and respect between different people, groups and cultures.

In Maori culture, the provision of food and rest for visitors is considered extremely important – a visit to a marae will confirm this fact. Whether the event is large or small, the focus of the hosts is to make visitors feel comfortable and welcome. Traditionally, this may have included treating guests to local seasonal delicacies such as paua, kina (sea urchin), eel, karaka berries, fernroot, kumara (sweet potato) or Titi (Muttonbird). In the early years of European settlement, local Maori would often gift food to settler families and sometimes settlers even moved into the marae and became part of the whanau (family).  

Today, the concept of manaakitanga is central to the New Zealand tourism industry and forms one of the core values of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015.

This area would encompass the Restart the Heart retail area (an initiative aimed at opening the western end of the City Mall in time for New Zealand Cup & Show Week in November), the visitor zone, the Hagley Park events village and hotels within the CBD that can quickly reopen. This and the construction of a new Christchurch Convention Centre form the two key elements of a joint submission by Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism and the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand to the Christchurch City Council’s Draft Central City Plan.

Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism Chief Executive Tim Hunter says the speed at which the tourism sector recovers will primarily be driven by the speed at which accommodation facilities can be restored, as the city is desperately short of commercial accommodation.

The tourism industry is also calling for a powerful city icon to ‘wow’ visitors and attract them to Christchurch. Ideally this would be a stand-out iconic structure which would become synonymous with the rebuilt city. One suggestion is that it could be an Earthquake Centre that will offer residents and visitors a place to remember and learn about earthquakes. Whatever is decided, it is vital that every effort is made to bring visitors back to Christchurch as soon as possible as tourism is vital to the recovery of the city and the region.

Planning itineraries that include Christchurch City? To find out more about which accommodation, transport and accommodation operators are open or closed, download our Christchurch updates.

The newly merged operation now boasts 11 depots throughout New Zealand, with all three brands operating from all depots. “We are hugely excited about the potential this merge offers to both local and inbound tourists, with the three rental car brands at different levels now enabling us to cover all segments of the inbound and domestic markets from premium to budget,” says MD Sean Parrey.

The Nationwide and Ezi-Rent brands are currently being refreshed with a crisp new look, which is being rolled out throughout the country over the next month – including a new Ezi-Rent website.

NZ Leisure Ltd has also announced the appointment of Cushla Hanley to the role of National Sales & Marketing Manager. Cushla brings a wealth of travel industry and marketing experience to the role, with over 16 years working in most segments of the travel industry, and is looking forward to building strong industry brand awareness and partnerships with travel agents throughout New Zealand and overseas.

But there is another reason to visit the Matakohe museum. The Kauri Museum is now also a brand-new, unique conference and functions venue. Function spaces include various exhibition spaces for a Victorian High Tea, the Gum Diggers Café and an adjacent community hall. The boardroom seats 20. Whether for a family function, a business conference or team building experience – the Kauri Museum is ideal and easily accessible for day trips from Auckland.

To look at capacities and info on the Kauri Museum and other Northland venues, Northland’s RTO page now has a regional capacity indicator in the conference section.

In late September Christchurch i-SITE will open beside the Canterbury Museum at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens. The visitor information centre will be housed in temporary buildings on Rolleston Avenue for at least twelve months.

Christchurch City Council has approved the new location and Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism Chief Executive Tim Hunter says it’s an ideal location for this vital part of Christchurch’s tourism infrastructure. He says: “This high-profile site ticks all the boxes […] Here, visitors to Christchurch will have a central point from which to access information and make bookings for activities and accommodation in the Canterbury region and beyond. It also provides an important booking and information service for locals, who make up 20 per cent of visitors to the i-SITE.”

Christchurch i-SITE provides information and booking services for activities, accommodation, transport and also major Christchurch events. “We are expecting 100,000 visitors to the city over spring and summer and it’s important we cater to their needs and provide them with easy access to information about accommodation, transport, events and attractions and everything they can do while they’re in our region,” says i-SITE Manager Sandra Caldwell.

Christchurch i-SITE will be staffed seven days a week from 8:30am to 5pm, with longer hours during summer months.

“A national convention centre able to host major international conferences is a key component of a successful visitor economy,” says TIA Chief Executive Tim Cossar. New Zealand already offers a great level of professionalism in incentive and conference organisation, but to date doesn’t have a national convention centre.

“Development of a world-class convention centre will enable the industry to target a whole new market that can’t be accommodated by existing conference facilities,” says Cossar. “This […] will help us boost shoulder and low season travel.”

Conference delegates are considered high-spending visitors and so the new convention centre will boost the New Zealand economy. The proposed national convention centre will be built between Auckland’s Hobson and Nelson Streets and SKYCITY has proposed to link the new convention centre with Auckland Casino via an airbridge. SKYCITY has also suggested converting the street below into an open space with cafés, restaurants and retail outlets opening onto the street.

“[The convention centre] will raise our profile in the valuable business conference market,” says Cossar. Conventions and incentives travel can also generate return business as delegates come back to New Zealand for family holidays.

The entire project comprises of six distinct ecological environments, The Islands, The Wetlands, The Night, The Coast, The High Country and The Forest and development of all areas is well on target. Extensive planting has been carried out and new animals are arriving at Auckland Zoo.

On Queen’s Birthday weekend The Forest was even opend to visitors for a unique sneak preview to coincide with World Environment Day. The area, which has been modelled on the Waitakere Ranges rain forest, will soon be home to some of the country’s most precious birds. The walk-through aviary will hold native New Zealand birds such as the Kereru, Bellbird, Kaka, Kakariki and Kokako.

The whole of Te Wao Nui eco-project will house more than 100 native plant species and 60 different native animal species. Zoo Director Jonathan Wilcken says: “Whether you’re a local or a visitor to Auckland, this is going to be a stunning way to experience New Zealand’s unique animals, plants and culture. It will also be a great way to learn of the incredible efforts now underway to protect our amazing natural heritage.”